12/01/2013

Using data collected by 308
students living in private acccommodation around the town, the report highlights
problems with:

Condition of properties, damp
being a particular problem

High rents – they varied
between £48 and £160p.w.

Charging full summer rents whilst
not allowing the property to be occupied

High admin fees – up to £200
non-refundable

Pressure to sign contracts
quickly.

The agency with the highest
proportion of positive comments, out of the 12 reported upon, was Aber Student.

The report hopes that rents
will decrease in future with a lower intake of students this year and new
accommodation becoming available in Northgate Street.

The Union now plans to work
towards a Good Landlords Award this year and, in the longer term, the setting
up of a Student Union Letting Agency by awarding accreditation to landlords.
The Union’s current policy is to not recommend one agency over another in the
interests of fairness.

Student Union Support Officer
Laura Dickens says in the report,

“It is my intention to ensure
that future accommodation campaigns focus on the standard of accommodation and
that we maintain a good working relationship with Ceredigion County Council and
the Citizens Advice Bureau.”

“This report has highlighted
a need for the University and Students Union to work together to provide more
support and training for students when it comes to the private sector. The more
educated students are when it comes to housing, then the better the treatment
they are likely to receive.”

The Students' Union welcomes responses
from landlords and letting agencies to the survey, particularly ideas for how
things could improve. They can be contacted at union.support@aber.ac.uk

The 30-page report is
available online in English here and Welsh here.